Description

FS Maintenance is an add-on product for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002. It is designed to work with aircraft that are in the Utility TurboProp class and larger.

This add-on starts with the premise that aircraft are complex things. They take to the skies time and time again and we, as passengers, assume that we will always get there in one piece wherever our luggage goes.

This reliability comes at a cost, according to the documentation as much as 20% of all ticket sales is spent on aircraft maintenance and it is the world of aircraft maintenance that this add-on sets out to bring into flight simulation. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 has within it a series of 'failure options' and this product builds upon this. When used the PC pilot doesn't just have to fly the plane by clicking on the buttons, they must check that the plane has responded correctly. For example the landing gear has been lowered, are you sure it has all gone down? Have all the confirmation lights come on?

After installation the pilot will see a new LAGO option in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002's in flight menu bar. From this a series of menus that control the package are accessed. The pilot can choose whether to fly with the package enabled. If the package is not enabled then Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 behaves as normal.

When enabled the package logs details of the player's flight which can be in any of the aircraft the player has opted to make as part of their fleet. Any bad flying, bumpy landing could result in stress or damage to the aircraft which must corrected during maintenance. The package recalls the state of each aircraft in the fleet so that when it is next flown the effects of wear & tear on the plane can accumulate.

Damage is recorded to individual components and, at a higher level, to systems, for example the gear system is composed of the tyres, brakes, landing gear and other components all of which react to taxiing too fast or making sudden sharp turns while on the ground.

Maintenance costs money and must be paid for. The player starts with a little money and earns more money for each flight. Here again bad flying habits will cost the player as bumpy landings and sharp fighter jet style manoeuvres do not please passengers and as such reduce the money the flight generates. It is entirely possible to damage an aircraft with one bad landing to the point where there is not enough cash to repair it or to go bankrupt.

all the testers[for their involvement], Mike Clark (Tecpilot for providing us with such a dedicated group of Beta testers), Robert Jubb (Tecpilot for providing us with such a dedicated group of Beta testers)